Are you using a ISO or the original Japanese game version?

To help me give you the best advice for your setup, please tell me: Which are you currently running?

If you are using a .p2s save state file instead of a traditional memory card save, it may fail to load if your version of PCSX2 is newer or older than the version used to create the state. For long-term reliability, always prefer virtual memory card files ( .ps2 ) over save states. max Action Replay saves into the standard PCSX2 format? Share public link

PCSX2 has its own built-in Memory Card Manager, which provides a more integrated way to import some save files. To use this method, open PCSX2 and go to Config > Memory Cards [3†L19]. In the manager, click on the memory card you wish to use and select the "Import" button [3†L5-L6]. PCSX2 will then prompt you to locate the save file on your computer [3†L5-L6]. This method is often more user-friendly for beginners.